Adding a Wheelchair Position to a Van or Bus

You may find that your needs will change after you have already put a wheelchair van or one of our wheelchair buses into service for your organization. In some cases, you may find yourself needing more wheelchair positions than were originally built into the van or bus. The good news is that this is a situation that can be overcome at a reasonable cost in most cases.

Please keep in mind though, that this article assumes that the van or bus already has a wheelchair lift installed. If this is not the case for you, please read about adding a wheelchair lift first.

When looking to add a wheelchair position, it is important to consider the complete system, existing restraints, floor plan and structure.

Complete System

Above all, a wheelchair station must be safe and comply with applicable laws, regulations and installation guidelines. In order to do this, the wheelchair station must have appropriate floor-anchors for wheelchair tie downs. Wheelchair tie downs must consist of a 4 point system that provides side-to-side and front-to-back stability. The complete system must also include an occupant restraint which is typically a 3 point lap and shoulder belt system.

We often receive calls from individuals who are under the impression that adding a wheelchair position is as easy as adding another set of wheelchair tie downs to take advantage of some extra length of track in the vehicle. Unfortunately, this is not the case. When assessing the viability and cost of adding wheelchair positions, we must make take several conditions/situations into consideration.

The most common situation that we encounter is in the installation of the occupant restraint — usually it is the shoulder belt that is a problem. The shoulder belt must be anchored in a secure place in the van or bus wall in order to be safe. Very often, we find that a shoulder belt was not anticipated in the desired position and this anchorage does not exist. Usually it can be added, but there are some cases where it is not possible. Also, if the shoulder belt for the wheelchair position that is to be added is going to come across the face or body of the person in an ambulatory seat next to it, this will also be a problem. In most cases, however, we are able to do what it takes to make a complete wheelchair tie down system possible.

Restraint System

Another key factor in the successful addition of a wheelchair position in your wheelchair van or bus is to make sure that the wheelchair tie downs and occupant restraints match the other set(s) of tie downs in the wheelchair van. By having matching tie downs and restraints, you will help to simplify the job of the staff who must secure the wheelchair users. Adding another system is frustrating and reduces the chance that your clients will be secured properly every time by every staff member.

Floor Plan

In most cases, substantial thought and energy has gone into creating an effective floor plan for your wheelchair van or bus. The process usually takes into consideration such factors as how wheelchair users and ambulatory passengers will enter and exit the vehicle, room for maneuvering wheelchair users into position and space around the wheelchair station to give staff ample space to operate the wheelchair tie downs and keep clients from being too close to each other. When you add another wheelchair position into an existing floor plan, you can unintentionally create a layout that no longer works as well as the original wheelchair van design.

As well, manufacturer guidelines and ADA/DOT regulations specify the dimension of the wheelchair positions and they are often larger than what is anticipated or the space that is available. You will always have to give up some ambulatory seats when you add another wheelchair statio,n but sometimes there is a greater impact than our clients may have initially anticipated. Thorough review and discussion of the issues can reduce this concern.

While it is usually the staff that come to you with the need or request for additional wheelchair positions, don’t forget to include them in the design process and get their approval on the final design. As your staff are the people that actually use the equipment every day, they will be the best resources for helping to anticipate problems and offer solutions. Make sure the staff are able to approve a final design.

Structure

Structural issues are most often a factor in the placement of the wheelchair tie down track or floor anchors, as well as the placement of the shoulder belt as discussed above.

Manufacturers have specific guidelines for installation of the floor anchors and track but those can sometimes interfere with, or be affected by, the structure of the wheelchair van or bus floor and the relationship of the desired wheelchair position to such things as floor beams, gas tanks and exhaust systems. When this occurs, the result is either additional time and cost or adjusting or choosing another position for the wheelchair station. A good example is when a wheelchair position is located above the wheelchair van’s gas tank. Additional time and cost must be built into the job to account for the removal and re-installation of the gas tank.

Another issue arises when it is discovered that the floor of the vehicle does not have sufficient structural strength to hold the wheelchair track safely. Again, more time and materials must be added for reinforcing the floor to meet this need.

Adding a wheelchair station to an existing wheelchair van or wheelchair accessible bus is a very common request and it is a rare instance in which it cannot be done in a cost effective manner that works for both clients and staff. However, to ensure that you are successful in this endeavor, properly evaluating your needs, understanding dimensional and structural considerations and involving your staff will be most helpful.